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Rarely. I buy things I like with no extreme details that will go out of style quickly. If it's flattering and it's not worn out it stays in my closet. I did go a little overboard his year after finding companies that make clothes in the US (Karen Kane and Amour Vert) and bought a couple of salwar kameez outfits in India but my total spending YTD on clothes (including a couple of pair of Birkenstocks) is only a little over $500.
I was wondering, how often do you feel the need to update your clothes?
I don't have a schedule for updating my clothes. I tend to go in spurts - I only shop when I'm in the mood to do so, which really isn't all that often. For the most part, I just buy whatever I want, whenever I want. I do have way too many clothes, though and I think I'd feel a lot better about my clothes and the state of my closet (kind of a mess!) if I went though everything and purged the items that I don't really wear that often.
The main problem with purging, for me, is that it always seems like as soon as I get rid of something, I feel like I made a mistake and wish I hadn't gotten rid of it. This goes for just about everything - not just clothes.
I add items every season, but do less updating in retirement. Every so often, I realize that I must get rid of several things and replace, and I’m in that place this season. A lot of what I’ve been wearing is just old.
I add items every season, but do less updating in retirement. Every so often, I realize that I must get rid of several things and replace, and I’m in that place this season. A lot of what I’ve been wearing is just old.
I'm like this with shoes right now. I have 3 or 4 pair that are just plain worn out, and I SHOULD be embarassed to wear them. Well, I AM embarassed, but until I can replace them, I'll hang on to them for now.
As an adult, 1966, 1971, 1985 & 2004. Clothing was 90% business attire and 10% casual clothing. Business attire was updated based upon clothing appropriate for a new job. In 2010 I started walking everyday for exercise and I went from a size 8-10 to a size 4 in a matter of 6 months and that required a completely new business wardrobe. Once I retired in 2014 the business clothing was donated and I needed to add more causal clothing for 95% of my new activities. Over the past year my clothing purchases have moved to active wear due to strength training and taking on much more physical activities.
So, on average I would say about once every 10 years. Only once was it based on a change in my size. Most of the time a new wardrobe was a result of appropriate clothing for a new job. Once retired my wardrobe went to casual and eventually to active wear because I now participate in much more physically demanding activities.
Every time I have extra money and find a really good sale. I generally buy 5-10 items a year - could be shoes, t-shirts, jeans, or nicer blouses and slacks for work. I continuously add and delete items in my wardrobe.
I was wondering, how often do you feel the need to update your clothes?
I update almost every spring, but less so in fall. However, this fall I decided to buy a new red and black gingham shirt, because for Christmas parties I feel like I should change it up a little (rather than always wearing a solid red button-down); Christmas day though I will probably wear a red interlock polo. Still, I also look for treasures from past seasonal collections that I missed out on; this year I found a pink/white gingham linen/cotton blend button-down dating back to Spring 2013 that still had the tags on it.
When something no longer feels comfortable. Fabrics I used to like all of sudden feel too heavy or itchy. Things like that. Out they go and I get new things. Usually spring and summer.
Fall I like comfy sweaters. But I did switch to turtlenecks. As you get older you tend to feel the cold more along your back and shoulders. Regular or v neckline doesn't help.
There are some years/seasons when I buy nothing; others where I purchase a few pieces to stay on trend and freshen up my wardrobe a bit. I tend to roll with the European manner of dressing, i.e., buy somewhat higher end, classic pieces mixed with more "downmarket" things I pick up here and there while at the same time not maintaining a huge wardrobe. As a result, I have some items of clothing that I've had for over a decade that are still stylish and look like new even though they've seen regular wear. Things like jeans I buy at thrift stores as the selection is so much better at such places--not to mention that for the sale price of one expensive pair jeans, I can buy several barely worn pairs. (Sometimes I get lucky and find ones that have never been worn. Score!).
Footwear I buy at places like DSW or, if there's a sale, departments or specialty stores. I refuse to pay the better part of a hundred dollars plus for plastic shoes, so I have to go to such places to find quality leather goods. I've had my favorite tall boots reheeled/resoled several times, which was well worth their original price as it's not easy to find tall boots with a slender high heel. Sandals don't last as long for me, so I tend to buy those every few years; a bit more often as trends change as they don't tend to be overly expensive.
One of the nice things about being a "senior" is that I no longer feel the need to do much of anything that I don't absolutely have to do -- and keeping up with fashion is one of them!
However, it does help that ever since my mid-20's, I have always liked classic looks that never go out of style, and that now my wardrobe consists mainly of jeans and turtlenecks or long-sleeve tees in cold weather, and lightweight capris in warm weather.
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